Engine-starting apparatus



April 14, 1931. w CHRYST 1,800,508

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed'Oct. 30, 1926 April 14, 1931. w. A. CHRYST 1,800,508

ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 50, 1926 a Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 14, 1931.

W. A. CHRYST ENGINE STARTING APPARATUS Original Filed Oct. 30, 1926 5 Sheets-Shet 5 rrsn STATES WILLIAM A. onnysn-ornavron, onto, ASSIGNOR, BY nnsnnessremvrnnrs, T0 DELCO- REMY con-Ponarron, or Barr-on, 01-110, A oonrone rron or DELAWARE nneinn-s'rnn'rrneAPrAn TUs Application filed Qctober so, 192e, seria 'no. 145,217. Renewed my 4; 1929.

This invention relates to, apparatus for starting internal-combustion engines and particularly to the type of apparatus which includes an electric motor, and means for con 'necting; the motor with the engine and thereafter causing the motor tooperate, said means including a pinion movable axially into engagement with the gear of an engine to be started, and including provision whereby the pinion will be automatically disengaged from the engine gear when the enginebecomes self-operative.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide certain improvements in mechanism for moving the pinion into engagement with the engine gear and for rotating the pinion in case the pinion teeth should collide with the engine gear teeth, said mechanism being constructed and arranged to permit the pinion to be deme shed from the engine gearv automatically. In carrying out this object the invention comprises chiefly. a driven clutch member provided by the pinion, a driving clutch member which is. axially moved into engagement with the pinion clutchmember and manually or pedally operated mechanically for causingthedriving clutchto move axially intoengagement with the driven clutchin order to move the pinion into engagement with theengine gear, and for rotating the driving clutch so that the pinion may be rotated in case of gear tooth abutment, said mechanism providing for the automatic demeshment of the pinion when theengine starts, although the operator may maintain the mechanism in operating position. V

Further objects and advantages of the present invention .will be apparent from the follgwingdescription, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In thedrawings: v Fig. 1 is afragmentary side view partly in longitudinal section showing engine starting apparatus in normal or non-operating position;

Figs. 2 and 3, are sectional view taken rethe armature shaft 22' of the motor.

shaft 22 is provided with a spirally splined which cooperateswith the frame to support The on the lines 2- 2 and 83 of similar to Fig. 1

portion 28 which supports a pinion 24: having an internallyspirally splined hub 25.

The pinion 24 is movable endwise along the shaft 22 into engagement with an engine gear 26, and, whenzthe pinion hub 25 has been moved into engagement with a wire split ring 27 which is retained by groove 28 in the shaft 22, the pinion will rotate with the shaft '22 to drive the gear 26.

Normally the pinion is out of engagement with the engine gear as shown in Fig. 1 and is supported by that portion of the shaft which "is of smaller diameter than the portion supporting the pinion when the pinion isin' driving engagement with the gear. a This shaft portion of smaller diameter 1s located between shoulder portions 29 and30, the portions 30 providing stops which tend to prevent drifting of the r pinion into mesh with the gear due to vibration of the starting apparatus.

The mechanism for moving the pinion 24 endwlse into engagement wlth the engine gear26 and for rotating the pinion in case its teeth collide with the engine gear-teeth includes a disc 31' provided with clutch teeth 32 and drivingly connected with the pinion 2 L.- driven clutch member, the teeth 32 of which cooperate with. the teeth 33 of a driving clutch member 34 which is loosely rotatable upon the shaft 22 and is free to move along the shaft. The mechanismformoving the driving clutch includes a lever 35 having a hub 36 supported upon a stub sha'ft'37 at tached at oneend to the housing 21. Adja- Thus the pinion is provided with a ill cent the other end the stub shaft 37 is provided with a portion 37 a of smaller diameter which is received by hole in a cover plate 39 which covers an opening 40 in the housing 21 and which is secured thereto by one or more screws 41. The lever 35 is attached at its upper end to a pedal rod which passes thr ugh a cup-shaped member 43 carried by the floor board 44 of the automobile which is equipped with this starting apparatus. A spring 45 is located between the cup member 43 and the head 46 of the pedal rod 42 and tends to maintain the lever 35 in the posi tion shown in Fig. 1.

The lever 35 is connected with the clutch 34 by link 50 attached at one end to a pin 51 carried by the lever 35 and retained thereon by cotter pin 52 and provided adjacent its other end with a plain hole which receives the spherical portion 53 of a stud 54 attached to the clutch 34 and provided with a head 55 for retaining the link 50. The clutch 34 is provided with a lateral bore 56 to permit insertion of a tool for riveting the stud 54 as indicated at 57. It is therefore apparent that the pedal 42 lever 35 and link 50 may be operated to produce endwise movement of the clutch 34 and rotation thereof.

In order that, initially, the tendency of this mechanism to produce endwise movement of the clutch 34 will be greater than the tendencyto rotate the clutch, a spring operated device is provided for yieldingly resistclockwise direction relative to the lever 35. This device comprises a spring retainer bar 60 pivoted at one end upon a stud 61 attached to the link 50 and having its other end slidable in a sleeve 62 received by a lateral bore 630: in the hub 36 of the lever 35. A

spring 63 surrounds the bar 60 and is located between a washer 64 hearing against the sleeve 62 and a washer 65 bearing against shoulder 66 provided by the bar 60. The spring 63 is normally in a state of compression and is biased as shown in Fig. 1 for resisting counter-clockwise rotation of the link 50 relative to the lever 35.

The operation of the invention is as follows:

Fig. 1 shows the apparatus in normal or non-operating position. To start the engine the operator presses downwardly upon the pedal 42, thereby causing the lever 35 to move in a counter-clockwise direction and the link 50 to be moved bodily along the shaft 22 toward the right as viewed in the drawings. After the driving clutch teeth 33 engage the clutch teeth 32 the pinion clutch 34 will be moved axially into engagement with the engine gear 26. In case the ends of the pinion teeth collide with the ends of the gear teeth continued motion of the pedal 42 downward.-

ly will cause the clutch 34 to be rotated; and, hence the pinion will be rotated into a position in which its teeth will register with the tooth spaces of the gear 26. Then the pinion will be moved into mesh with the engine gear.

fter gear meshing has been effected to a substantial degree the lever 35 will engage the operating member 70 of a motor switch 71 and move it downwardly to close the motor switch. The motor will then operate the shaft 22 in such direction as to cause the pinion 24 to be moved completely into mesh with the gear 26 and into engagement with the stop ring 27, in order that the pinion will rotate with the shaft to crank the engine.

Fig. 4 shows the apparatus in condition for cranking the engine and it will be noted that the driven clutch teeth 32 have been separated from the driving clutch 33. This is due to the fact that the switch member 7 0 provides a stop limiting the motion of the lever 35 in a counter-clockwise direction to such position that the olutch member 34 can be moved by the lever 35 only as far as shown in Fig. 4. Thus the pinion is not moved completely into mesh with the engine gear before the motor switch is closed, but sufficiently to prevent damage to the gear teeth. When the motor shaft 22 is operated the pinion will be threaded into complete engagement with the engine gear and the clutch members will be separated as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

When the engine becomes self-operative the Y pinion will be automatically demeshed as ing movement of the link 50 in a countershown in Fig. 5 and will engage the clutch member 34 and move it quickly from the position shown in 4 into the position shown in Fig. 5. In the position shown in Fig. .5 the spring operated device which is normally biased as shown in Fig. 1 for resisting counter-clockwise movement of the link 50 relative to the lever 35 is now biased for resisting clockwise rotation of the link 50. Hence the spring 63 tends to maintain the link 50 in an upright position as shown and urges the clutch 34 against a stop 7 2 carried by the shaft 22. Therefore it'is apparent from Fig. 5 that the pedally operated mechanism will permit demeshing of the motor gear from the engine gear when the engine becomes self-operative, although the operator may fail to release the pedal 42.

After the engine has been started the operator will release the pedal 42 thereby releasing the spring 45 which will cause the lever 35 to return to the position shown in Fig. 1 and the link 50 to be restored to operating position. The spring operating device including the spring 63 will be biased again for normally resisting; counter-clockwise.motion of the link 50. The switch operating member 70 will berestored to switch-open position by the spring 7 3. V V

In order to protect the teeth of the clutch member in the event the engine should backfirebefore beingstarted, means are providmemos 32 from the ch has'been meshed with the gear and before the motor switch has been closed.

. en e-shouldback-fire immediately after the an e c Y motor switch is closed, rotation of the amion '24 in the reverse-to-"normai direction, as indicated by the arrow 81 as shown in Fig. i,

' may take place Without obstruction by the members v are provided.

pinion shifting mechanism.

The form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 differs from the form previously described, particularly with regard to the form or" the clutch members. Instead of toothed clutch members,- axially 'en-gaging, friction clutch The pinion 24- carries a cupped clutchmember'SO whichcooperates with theconical flange 91 of a clutch disc 92 attached to a sleeve 93'' which carries the stud 54.- The conical flange 91 is dividedby Y members provision for separating the clutch :members before the motor switch is closed 'need not be provided. In case of back-fire at the instant the motor switch is closed the clutch member 90 may 'move relative to the clutch member '91 without any damage to the pinion-shitting. apparatus 7 While the form of embodiment of thepres- V e'nt invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, iris understood that other forms might be adopted,- all coming within the scope of thecl'aim's which follow.

What is claimed isjas follows 1 1. Engine starting apparatuscom-prisin 1n combination, a'motor"; a shaft driven by .the motor; means for connectingt he shaft with the gear of an en gine to be startedineluding a pinion enga'geable withthe gear, and provisions whereby complete meshing'ot the pinion with the gear will beefiected by 'motor operation after meshing has been started, and whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshed' from the gear when the engine becomes self-operative; a driven clutch connected with the pinion; a driving clutch slidable along said shaft intooperative engagement with the driven clutch; amanually operable member for controlling the motor; and-a device 0 erated by the manual- 1y operable member or moving the'drivi-ng clutch axially and rotativelyin order to move the driving clutch intoengagement with-the This means 7 comprises the disc 81 provided by the pinion driven clutch and the pinion into mesh with the engine gear and to rotate thepini'on prior 'to mesliing'in case the pinion abuts the gear teeth.

2. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 1 and having means for positively separating the clutch members after thepinion has been;meshed with the gear and before the motor is operated. I

3. Engine starting apparatus comprisin in combination, a motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started in- I eluding a pinion engageable with the gear, and provisions whereby complete meshing of the pinion with the gear will be effected by motor operation after meshing has been started, and whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshe'd from the gear when the engine becomes self operative a driven'clutch connectedwith the pinion;-a driving clutch slid'able along said shaft into operative engagement with the driven clutch; a link bodi- 1y movable along said shaft and .pivotally-conerable member for moving the link to cause the clutch members to engage and the pinion to move into mesh with the engine gear and to cause the pinion to rotate in case the pinion teeth collide with the gear teeth, said member causing the motor to operate after gear meshing has been effected. g

4'. Engine starting apparatusaccording to claim '3 and having means operated by the link for positively'sepa'rating the clutch mem bers after the pinion has been meshed with the gear and before the motor is operated.

5. Engine starting apparatus according to, claim 3 in which the pinion is provided with a collar member and the ,linkwis provided with anlextension for engaging said collar member for positively separating the clutch members after the pinion has been meshed with the" gear and before the motor is operated. v

'6. An engine starter comprising, in combinatioma motor amanuallyoperable-member for controlling themotor; a shaftdriven the 'motor; means for connecting the shaft with-the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion slidable along the shaft into. mesh with the engine gean'and-provisions whereby the pinion will beautomatica-lly demeshed'from the engine gearwhen the engine starts; a drivenclutch member connected with the pinion, a driving clutch 'memb'er freely rotatable on the shaft and axially movable" into engagement with the driven clutch; and a device operated by the pmanually operable member for moving the clutch member-s axially in order to move the pinion into mesh with the gear, and for rotating the clutch members incase the pinion abuts the gear prior to meshing therewith;

and means for urging the driving clutch away from the driven clutch while the manually operable member is held in operating position and after the pinion has been demeshed.

7. An engine starter comprising, in combination, a motor; a manually operable member for controlling the motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including pinion slidable along the shaft into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a driven clutch member connected with the pinion, a driving clutch member freely rotatable on the shaft and axially movable into engagement with the driven clutch; and a device operated by the manually operable member for moving the clutch members axially in order to move the pinion into mesh with the gear, and for rotating the clutch members in case the pinion abuts the gear prior to meshing therewith; and means resiliently tending to prevent rotation of the clutch by the manually operable member, while permitting endwise movement of the clutch to move the pinion into engagement with the engine gear.

8. An engine starter comprising, in combination, a motor; a manually operable mem ber for controlling the motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaftwith the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion slidable along the shaft into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine start-s; a driven clutch member connectedwith the pinion, a driving clutch member freely rotatable on the shaft and axially movable into engagement with the driven clutch; and a device operated by the manually operable member for moving the clutch members axially in order to move the pinion into mesh with the gear, and for rotating the clutch members in case the pinion abuts the gear prior to meshing therewith; a spring operated means for yieldingly resisting rotation of the clutch while the pinion is being moved toward the gear; and means responsive to the demeshing of thepinion for causing'the spring'operated means to urge the driving clutch member away from the driven clutch member.

V 9. An engine starter comprising, in combination, a motor; a manually operable member for controlling the motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion slidable along. the shaft into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a driven clutch member connected with the pinion, a driving clutch member freely rotatable on the shaft and axially movable into engagement with the driven clutch; and a device operated by the manually operable member for moving the clutch members axially in order to move the 11. An engine starter comprising, in combination, a motor; a manually operable member for controlling the motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion slidable along the shaft into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a driven clutch member connected with the pinion, a driving clutch member freely rotatable on the shaft and axially movable into engagement with the driven clutch; and a device operated by the manually operable member'for moving the olutchmembers axially in order to move the pinion into mesh with the gear, and for rotating the clutch members in case the pinion abuts the gear prior to meshing therewith; and a spring operated device adapted, when the manually operated member is moving the pinion toward the engine gear, to yieldingly resist rotation of the clutch by the manually operated member. said device being conditioned, by the demeshing movement of the pinion, to urge the driving clutch member away from the driven clutch member while the manually operable member is maintained in operating position.

12. An engine starter comprising, in combination, a motor; a'manually operable member for controlling the motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion slidable along the shaft into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a driven clutch member connected with the pinion, a driving clutch member freely rotatable on the shaft and aX- ially movable into engagement with the driven clutch; a link connected with the driving clutch member and supported by the manually operable member for movement longitudinally of the shaft, and adapted to impart rotary motion to the clutch in case the pinion teeth abut the engine gear teeth;

' and means connected with the link and conditioned by the demeshing movement of the pinion for urging the driving clutch away from the driven clutch while the manually operable member is held in operative position. i V

7 13. An engine starter comprising, in combination, a motor; a manually operable member for controlling the motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion slidable along the shaft into mesh with the engine gear, and provisions whereby the pinion will be automaticaly demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a driven clutch member connected with the pinion, a driving clutch member freely rota-table on the shaft and axially movable into engagement with the driven clutch; a link connected with the driving clutch member and supported. by the manually operable member for movement longitudinally of the shaft, and adapted to impart rotary motion to the clutch in case the pinion teeth abut the engine gear teeth;

and a spring operated device connected with the link and tending to resist such movement of the link relative to the clutch as will impart rotation thereto when the link is moved by the manually operable member.

14. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 13, in which the spring operated device is conditioned, in response to the demeshing movement of the pinion, for urging the driving clutch away from the driven clutch, while the manually operable member is held in operating position.

15. An engine starter comprising, in combination, a motor; a manually operable member for controlling the motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft with the gear of an engine to be started and including a pinion slidable along the shaft into mesh with the engine gear, and

provisions whereby the pinion will be automatically demeshed from the engine gear when the engine starts; a driven clutch member connected with "the pinion, a driving clutch member freely rotatable on the shaft and axially movable into engagement with the driven clutch; a link connected with the driving clutch member and supported by the manually operable member for movement longitudinally of the shaft, and adapted to impart rotary motion-to the clutch in case the pinion teeth abut the engine'gear teeth; a spring for urging the link in either of two directions relative to the normally operable member; and a spring retainer so connected with the link and the manually operable member that, normally, the spring is biased to resist such movement of the link as will produce rotation of the clutch, and

so connected that,,in response to the demeshing ofthe pinion, the spring will be biased 16. Engine starting apparatus comprising,

in combination, a motor; a shaft driven by the motor; means for connecting the shaft, with the gear of an engine to be started in cluding a pinion engageabl-eiwith the gear, and provisions whereby complete meshing of the pinion with the gear will be efi'ected by motor operation after meshing has been started, and whereby the pinion may be automatically demeshed from the gear when the engine becomes self-operative; a driven clutch connected with the pinion; a driving clutch slidable along said shaft into operative engagement with the driven clutch; a manually operated lever pivoted to move in a plane parallel to the shaft; a link connected with the lever and with the driving clutch member eccentric to the axis thereof; a spring retainer bar pivotally connected with the link adjacent the connection of the link with the lever and slidably connected with the lever nearer the axis thereof; a compression spring retained by the bar between a part of the lever and the link and normally biased to resist such movement of the link as will produce rotation of the clutch, the retainer bar being so located that, in response to the demeshing of the pinion, the spring will be biased by urging the driving clutch away from the driven clutch while the lever is held inoperating position; and a motor switch which is closed by the lever after the pinion has been meshed with the engine gear.

17. Engine starting apparatus according to claim 16, in which the clutch members are axially engaging toothed members, in which thepinion is provided with a collar member and the link is provided with an extension for engaging said collar member for positively separating the clutch members af er the pinion has been meshed with the gear and before the motor is operated.

18. An engine starter drive comprising, in combination, a rotatable drive-connectingmember movable axially into driving relation with a rotatable part of the engineto be started; automatic means for disconnecting the drive-connecting-member from the engine part when the engine starts; and a manually operable device for moving the drive-connecting-member into driving engagement with" the engine part, said device including two DOI constantly connected elements adapted to v move in the direction of movement of the drive-connecting-member when approaching the engine part, one of said elements being rotatable coaxially of the drive-connectingmember and engageable with said member, means for rotatively connecting the rotatable element and the drive-connecting-member and means for connecting the elements so that, When the rotatable element is moved axially by the other manually operable element, the rotatable element tends to rotate, and means tending to resist rotation of the rotatable, manually operable element.

In testimony whereof I hereto afliX my signature.

WILLIAM A. GHRYST. 

